


At the Witching Hour

by mercy_angel_09



Series: Witches and Hunters [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Prompt Fill, Romance, Supernatural Elements, halloween-ish, modern urban fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-18
Updated: 2012-12-18
Packaged: 2017-11-21 11:52:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/597444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mercy_angel_09/pseuds/mercy_angel_09
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Korra is a powerful witch, able to manipulate four elements at once. Amon belongs to a group of masked hunters known as the League, whose goal is to eliminate those with supernatural abilities, such as the ability to manipulate the elements because it creates imbalance in the world. Or so the League would like you to believe. Korra has been targeted by the League, so they send their best hunter after her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	At the Witching Hour

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yuugao818](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Yuugao818).



> Prompted by Yuugao818 in the Amorra chat, a story about Korra as a witch and Amon…well Amon could be pretty much anything.
> 
> Of course, witches and Amon made me immediately think of Witch Hunter Robin so I went with a modern urban fantasy vibe, in which Amon belongs to a group of masked hunters known as the League, whose goal is to eliminate those with supernatural abilities, such as the ability to manipulate the elements because it creates imbalance in the world. Or so the League would like you to believe. Korra, an extremely powerful witch has been targeted by the League, so they send their best hunter after her.
> 
> Except things don’t always go as planned…

The crisp autumn air was fresh, smelling like fallen leaves and cold. Korra loved this weather, as the world slowly went to sleep. This was her season, the season of the witches, when she was at her most powerful.

Each witch was different, some could control the elements, others the spirits, and others did what could only be called magic, but each one was powerful. Korra was a particularly powerful witch, manipulating the elements to her whims, and not just a single element, but four. There was only one problem with being so powerful – she became a target for witch hunters, those who felt that Korra and her people pulled the world out of balance and therefore had to be eliminated.

There was an unspoken rule amongst the witches not to be out alone after dark, when the hunters prowled the streets, but Korra liked to live on the edge. Pulling her coat tighter around her, she expelled a breath, delighting in the way the cloud of steam formed in front of her face. This was the kind of night when the magic was in the air; crackling like static and causing the small hairs on the nape of Korra’s neck stand on end.

As it neared the witching hour, there was a subtle shift in the world and Korra could feel her powers strengthen. She was a child of the moon, and drenched in the pale light of her goddess, she was at her most powerful and most vulnerable.

Pausing, Korra strained to hear anything. There were no sounds, in fact it was too quiet. Someone was stalking her.

Well then, let the games begins.

She continued to walk, strolling as if she was just enjoying the nice evening. There was no rhyme or reason to her path, keeping unpredictable was her best bet at this point. She continued to meander until she reached a row of condemned tenement buildings. Aside from a few squatters there was no one around, so if she accidentally brought a building down defending herself, the chances of someone being hurt were minimal.

Contrary to popular belief, witches were against the hurting of innocents. That wasn’t to say that there weren’t those who hurt innocents because they could, but they were considered outsiders by their kin.

Ducking into an alley, Korra pressed herself into the shadows and waited for the person who was hunting her. Holding her breath, she kept her eyes trained on the entrance, hoping that the poor fool would show himself. Sure enough a few seconds later a tall, broad figure in a long coat slipped into the alley. He was holding something in his hand, it looked like one of those guns that fired electricity that could incapacitate a witch but not kill them. He wasn’t just some amature hunter trying to play with the big boys; he was a professional hunter, no doubt a member of the League and not someone to be taken lightly.

She held still, hoping for the best. She was strong but a feeling in her gut told her that he was stronger.

After several minutes, during most of which Korra’s heart was in her throat, the man finally left. Letting out a sigh of relief, she finally decided the coast was clear and slipped out of the alley.

Unfortunately for her, the hunter was as patient as she was, and had been waiting for her. The moment she set foot on the sidewalk she was slammed painfully up against the brick wall of the nearest building. With a grunt her head collided with the masonry, causing her to see stars.

“I’ve got you now, little witch,” a deep voice growled.

Blinking up at the hulking figure in front of her, Korra tried to focus on his face, or rather the elaborately painted mask that covered his face, but was unable to. The blow to her head had really done a number on her vision.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” she smirked with false bravado. He was pinning her with one arm across her upper chest, the electro-gun pressed up against her jaw. The advantage was his, but Korra could turn it to her if she was smart.

“You do anything and I’ll use this. At this range, it’s sure to be fatal,” he said coolly.

“You’d have to let me go, first,” she taunted. “Do you think that you would get away from me and pull that trigger before I retaliate in some way?”

He pressed her harder against the wall. “Don’t press your luck, little witch.”

“Korra,” she said insistently. “My name is Korra.”

“I don’t care,” he snarled.

“I figure if you’re going to kill me, you should probably know my name.”

“Who says I’m going to kill you?”

“Oh that’s right,” she snarked. “You’re just the hunter. Your job is to bring me in, let someone else do the dirty work. No blood on your hands that way, am I right?”

“Shut up!”

“We are innocent. We’ve done nothing to hurt people.”

“Tell that to the family that your kind slaughtered a fortnight ago!”

“So you condemn us all for the actions of a few? How is that fair or just?!”

“Your kind throws the world out of balance with your unnatural powers,” he growled. “You are abominations and must be eliminated!”

 “I am a person and should be treated as such!” she retorted. Slamming her hand against the bricks behind her, she caused them to tremor and effectively broke his hold. He stumbled backwards, but his grip on the electro-gun never faltered. Punching the air, she sent an arc of fire in his direction, sending him jumping away.

“A person does not have abilities like yours! Witch!”

“Call me what you want, but I have done nothing wrong and still you condemn me for something I have no control over!”

“You can be cleansed!”

“And deny part of who I am?” she bellowed, summoning the rainwater in the gutter. “Never!”

Sending the whips of water at him, she missed actually making contact with his body. She was aiming for his feet in order to startle him, the water slapping against the pavement with a sharp crack. He jumped over them, rushing over and tackling her to the pavement, knocking the wind from her lungs. Gasping, panic set in, Korra suddenly worried that she was in an entirely too vulnerable position.

“Got you,” he said, a nasty gleam in his eye.

“No you don’t!” she answered through gritted teeth, swinging her arm and producing a powerful gust of air to knock him off of her. She scrambled to her feet, breathing heavily. “I will not go down so easily!”

“Bold words, Little Witch.”

“My name is Korra!”

“Your name means nothing to me!”

“Fine, you want a fight, you’ll get one!” she yelled, creating flames in the palms of her hands. She charged at him, ready to strike.

Hand to hand combat was not her strength, but she could at least put up a decent fight. She had dealt with a fair number of hunters over the years, but this guy…this guy was different. He was far more dangerous than any hunter she had faced before. She was quickly becoming exhausted while he appeared as fresh as a daisy.

Well crap.

“You look tired,” he taunted.

“You look old,” she retorted, wincing at not only how lame her comeback was, but at what she was sure was a bruised rib from a blow he landed on her side.

That had been a mistake. With a feral growl he launched himself at her, his large hand closing around her throat and squeezing. Scrabbling at his hand and arm was useless, his grip remained strong. Desperately she tried to pull air into her lungs but was unable to. Her vision started to go spotty, and tears started to prick her eyes.

No, no, no, damn it! It was not supposed to end this way. She squeezed her eyes shut, a few tears escaping and rolling down her cheeks. How pathetic. She, one of the most powerful of her kind, was going to die at the hands of a hunter she should have been able to defeat.

Slowly the grip around her neck lessened, the hunter releasing her. The unnatural silence around them was broken by the radio crackling on his hip. “Amon? Amon? Come in Amon.”

Pulling the radio roughly from his hip, he pressed a button on the side and spoke into it. “Amon here.”

“Requesting status report on the target.”

He looked at her, leaning up against a lamppost and drawing in deep breaths of air. The moment those tears escaped he had been screwed. There was no way he would be able to hurt her once she started crying. She stopped being a witch and started being Korra…

“Target managed to get the better of me. Able to manipulate several elements at once. Far stronger than any I’ve gone after.”

“We suspected as much. You will continue pursuit at another time. Call it a night, Amon.”

“Will do.” With a flick he switched the radio off.

“So, Amon,” she sneered. “Now what.”

“Go home,” he barked. “Go home and pray I never see you again.”

She let out a bitter laugh. “I would that I could.” Glowering at him, she continued, “I’m pretty sure I have a couple of broken ribs and a sprained ankle.”

He snorted. “I fail to see how it’s my problem.”

“Oh, maybe because you’re the one who caused the injuries in the first place?” she retorted sarcastically.

Rolling his eyes heavenward, Amon realized that it was futile to argue. “Fine, follow me.”

She limped along behind him towards his Satomobile. It was a sleek black machine, almost a mechanical extension of its owner. He held the door open for her, allowing her to climb in without overexerting herself. “Nice ride,” she mumbled as he slid into the driver’s seat and started it.

He pulled the mask off of his face and tossed it in the back seat before answering. “It’s functional.”

“Whatever.”

They rode in silence for several minutes until Korra realized that she had no idea where they were going. She was vaguely familiar with the neighborhood they were currently driving through, but it wasn’t anywhere she’d bother to go on her own.

“So, where are we going?” she asked, studying him from the corner of her eye. He wasn’t bad looking, though a bit older than she had originally pegged him for. He was probably in his mid to late thirties at the youngest, early forties at the oldest.

“To my apartment.”

“You’re joking.”

“No. I can’t take you into the hospital, they’ll ask too many questions. I have first aid training, I’ll take care of you at my place.”

“My, how kind. But you’ll have to burn your apartment after I leave. You don’t want the taint of witches on your belongings, right?”

“Don’t push your luck,” he said tensely. “The fact that I even feel guilty for hurting you is already annoying enough.”

“Fine,” she grunted as she settled back in her seat. Staring blankly out the window, she watched the buildings and lights whizzing by until she fell asleep.

“Korra, wake up!” a voice said harshly, startling her. Jerking awake, Korra looked around, blinking to clear her vision. They were in a middle class neighborhood, parked in front of a nice looking apartment building.

“Here already?”

“You slept the entire way.”

“Ah well, I did get beaten to a pulp by a man twice my size,” she reminded him with faux sweetness. He had mentioned feeling guilty, so she decided to make him feel extra guilty.

“Come on,” he said. “The sooner you’re patched up, the sooner I’m rid of you.”

“All right, all right,” she wheezed as she eased herself from the vehicle and limped behind him. He led her into the building and to an apartment towards the back of the first floor. It wasn’t a bad little place, but it was decidedly Spartan in its décor, with only the most basic furnishings. “Nice place.”

“It’s nothing more than where I live,” he replied coldly. “Take a seat, I’ll go get the first aid kit.”

“Right. I’ll make sure not to bleed on anything,” she joked. Damn, her sense of humor came out at the weirdest times.

Stalking back to his bathroom, Amon wondered what exactly had compelled to him to help her. She was a witch, the enemy. He could have ended her life so easily; he’d held her throat in his hand and had been slowly squeezing the life out of her.

And then those tears and her eyes…wide and scared and suddenly he felt like he was the villain. Damn his conscience!

After digging out the first aid kit from under the bathroom sink, he headed back into the living room to find Korra dozing in the chair. There was a scratch on her cheek from when she had landed on the pavement, her lip was split, and ugly purple bruises in the shape of his fingers were forming on her throat. The guilt came rushing back tenfold, especially since he could now see her clearly. She was just a child, probably no more than eighteen, and he had been dead set on ending her life. She had barely even begun to live.

“Hey, don’t fall asleep,” he barked, startling her.  “I might have given you a concussion.”

Glaring up at him, Korra adjusted herself on the chair. “You gonna patch me up now?”

“Yes,” he answered as he sat on the ottoman in front of her.  “Lift your shirt up.”

“What?!” she screeched.

“I need to check how bad your injuries are, if your ribs are broken or merely cracked. I can’t do that through the fabric of your shirt, so lift it up.”

She scowled at him for a moment before complying, lifting her shirt up to bare her torso, but keep her modesty. There was no way she was going to flash the guy who had been trying to kill her just over an hour ago.

Gently he moved his fingers over ribs, noting with a grimace the several bruises blooming on her skin. The worst of all was the color of a ripe blackberry and shaped perfectly like his fist. Very carefully he probed at the bones, trying to ignore the way she hissed in pain as he applied pressure to them. “The good news is that none of them are broken,” he said as he applied a salve to the bruises. “They are, however, cracked. It’ll take a few weeks for them to fully heal.”

“Wonderful,” Korra commented dryly.

“All right, let me examine the rest of you.”

Like an impatient child, Korra followed Amon’s orders so that he could determine the seriousness of her wounds. Thankfully nothing was life threatening nor did anything require an immediate visit to the doctor, but she was still pretty banged up. By the time he was done tending to her wounds, she stank of salve and was covered in bandages. The sight of her sitting on his chair, patched up like a rag doll, made his heart clench for some unknown reason.

“Can you get home?”

“Is my ankle still sprained?”

“Yes.”

“Then the answer is no.”

Frowning, Amon considered his options. He supposed he could take her home, but he doubted that she’d let him anywhere within a two mile radius of where she lived. There was always the floor, but the last thing her cracked ribs needed was the hardwood and a threadbare carpet.

“You’ll sleep in my bed.”

She lifted an eyebrow. “You can’t be serious.”

“You won’t let me take you home, you’re not dumb enough to run the risk of showing me where you live or even a close enough point where you could walk home on that bum ankle of yours. Obviously sleeping on the floor is out of the question as it will only further aggravate your injuries. That leaves my bed.”

“Wow, you’re not going to have any possessions left after you cleanse this place of my taint,” she said. “You’ll have to take everything out of here and burn it.”

“I get it. You can stop rubbing my face in it.”

She looked up at him in sudden concern. “Hey, keeping me here isn’t going to be a problem for you, is it? You’re a League hunter, aren’t you?”

He gazed steadily down at her. “They don’t monitor my home. They won’t know.”

“I just don’t want you to get in trouble for helping me,” she answered quietly as she dropped her eyes. “You should have just killed me.”

“I don’t kill witches.”

“Right, you merely take them to the person who will kill them.”

“Korra, stop it. I’m doing something I have never done before in helping you. You’re just a child, there are things in the world that you couldn’t possibly understand.”

“I’m older than you think.”

“You can’t be more than what? Seventeen? Eighteen?”

“Seventeen and a half,” she mumbled.

“You haven’t even lived your life yet.”

“What, I’m the first _kid_ you’ve ever hunted?”

He expelled a slow breath. “Most of the targets they give me are around my age. Established witches, powerful witches.”

“I’m not exactly harmless.”

“You’re powerful, but reckless,” he informed her. “If you were better trained-“

“I am excellently trained!”

“You could have kept up with me,” he finished irritably.

“Are you done?”

“Yes. Come on, you need your rest,” he said helping her to her feet. They shuffled gingerly down the hall to the bedroom, where he helped her peel off her clothes and put her in a spare shirt. When she was settled into his bed, she looked up at him.

“Thanks,” she mumbled.

Rather than answer, he inclined his head at her before removing himself from the room. Grabbing an extra blanket and pillow from the hall closet, he headed to the living room and set up camp, flicking on the radio to listen to the news. There was nothing of consequence to report, though there were whispers of a minor disturbance where he and Korra had fought earlier in the evening. Stretching out on the floor, he tried to get comfortable, but found that was easier said than done. It was true that he didn’t have a scratch on him from the fight, but he was still a middle aged man sleeping on the floor.

“This is ridiculous,” he muttered as he shifted his weight, hoping to alleviate the pressure on his back.

For nearly two hours he lay on the floor trying to fall asleep but to no avail. What he didn’t know was that Korra was lying in his bed, also wide awake. Since they couldn’t sleep they thought about the person on the other side of the apartment, wondering why the night’s events had turned the way they had. Why the hunter had spared his prey and ultimately helped her in the end? Why had he felt that she was different, that she was something special?

“Amon?”

Starting, Amon looked around his apartment.

“Amon?”

A little louder, Korra’s voice floated down the hall.

Getting to his feet and padding down the hall, he entered his bedroom to find Korra sitting up in bed. “I can’t sleep,” she whispered.

“What a coincidence,” he answered dryly. “Neither can I.”

He heard the rustling of the linens as she shuffled and he strained to see what she was doing. “Join me?”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I don’t want to be alone.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“I know for a fact you don’t want to be sleeping on that drafty floor.”

He sighed. “Fine.”

Awkwardly he settled into his bed, aware that the spot that she had vacated was still warm. They laid there in silence, Korra fidgeting with the hem of the blanket while Amon was lying as stiff as a board, both extremely aware of the proximity of the other.

“Why do you hate witches?”

“Beg your pardon?”

“Why do you hate witches? Did you lose your family to us?”

“I…no. My younger brother works for the city and my parents still live up north.”

“So why? If you haven’t been wronged, like most hunters, why do you insist on taking us out?”

“I guess…I guess I’ve seen enough witches throw their weight around, taking advantage of those without powers. It disgusts me.”

“I disgust you?” She said it so quietly, Amon wasn’t sure he even heard her correctly.

“You…you confuse me.”

“I confuse you?”

“Every witch I’ve fought until you always tried to kill me, I come home black and blue, nursing black eyes and bruised ribs and the occasional burn. I took you on, and there’s not even a scratch on me, though you had plenty of opportunities to land a blow.”

“That’s because I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I was trying to tire you out.”

“But I outlasted you.”

“It takes very precise control not to hit someone. I told you I was well trained.”

He grunted. “Fair enough.”

There was another long stretch of silence before Korra spoke again. “So I’m guessing you’re unmarried.”

“What gave it away?” he snorted.

“Your décor sucks.”

“Oh, was that all?”

“Pretty much.”

“I’m guessing you’ve never had a real boyfriend.”

“Hey!”

“A girl who’s been with a man wouldn’t be as skittish as you are now.”

“I’ve been with a guy.”

“A boy, then.”

“That doesn’t matter!”

“Did he know what you are?”

“He does!”

“And it doesn’t bother him?”

“Of course not, he’s one too, but he just manipulates fire instead of four elements like I do.”

“You’re too good for him.”

“You have no possible way of knowing that.”

“You are very powerful for your kind. Witches who can manipulate a single element are ridiculously common, and a step above them are the witches who can manipulate two. Rarer still are those who can manipulate three elements. But the rarest of all can manipulate all four. The last witch who could manipulate four elements died around the time you were born, and there haven’t been any others since.”

“Was that why you were sent after me, because of how powerful I am?”

“The League wouldn’t send anyone else after a witch as powerful as you. Anyway, a witch of your power is above a single element user.”

“And clearly leaps and bounds above a non-element user like you.”

“You wish. I’m too good for you.”

“Whatever you say, old man.”

“Old man?!”

“You’re what? Middle aged? Face it, you’re old.”

“I’ll show you old,” he mumbled as he rolled to face her. He could barely make out her outline in the low light, but reaching out he gently cupped her face and leaned in, capturing her lips. It was supposed to be a peck on the lips, moving just enough to tease her into wanting more. What he hadn’t expected was the heady rush he felt when their lips collided, or the way it would feel when he felt her mouth open under his and the feeling of her tongue sliding against his lips, seeking entrance.

Sweet spirits, she was deepening the kiss and what was more, he was going to let her do it.

Before he could talk himself out of it, he parted his lips and brushed his tongue against hers. She eagerly responded, wrestling with him for dominance and trying to prove that she could take him on and win.

And hoo-boy was she winning.

Finally he regained his senses and pulled back, swallowing the lump in his throat. Kissing her had been a ploy to shut her up; he hadn’t expected to enjoy it. His lips were still tingling.

Being a hunter had limited his lovelife, but it wasn’t like he hadn’t been with a woman before.  Deep and meaningful relationships didn’t exist in his world. He didn’t have time for them, on top of which it was never anything he was interested in. Women were a pleasant enough distraction when he felt the urge, but nothing more.

But this girl, this _witch_ , was different than any woman he’d ever been with.

“Is something wrong?” she murmured.

His brain ran through possible answers to her question.

_Nothing._

_Everything._

_Yes._

_No._

_Hold that thought, I want to kiss you one more time. You know, for science._

_How much pain are you in? Because I’m pretty sure I could make you forget about it…_

Instead he grunted.

“I’m sorry, I don’t speak caveman, you’ll have to clarify.”

“How’s your head?”

“Sore.”

“Maybe sleep isn’t the best option, then.”

“Oh? And what do you have in mind, you pervert?”

Blessed was the darkness that covered his blush. “We could talk,” he finally blurted.

“Talk.”

“Yes, talk.”

“Talk about what?”

“Uh…”

“Yeah, should have thought of that first, smart guy.”

“Okay, fine, you pick a topic.”

“I’d rather not.”

“And what would you rather do?”

“I’d rather kiss you again.”

Sputtering, he tried to respond but couldn’t make his mouth form the words.

“You want to kiss me again, don’t you?”

“I said no such thing.”

“It’s more what you didn’t say,” she said slyly. “What else would you like to do?”

“You are far too young for this kind of talk.”

“I’m nearly eighteen. I think that’s old enough.” She snorted. “Besides, I’m not a virgin. It’s nothing I haven’t heard or done before.”

“That doesn’t change a thing.”

Shifting on the mattress, she moved closer to him and reached out, groping for his hand. When she found it, she ghosted her fingers over his skin. “What are you afraid of?” she purred into the dark.

“I’m not afraid of anything, least of all you,” he answered tightly as he pulled his hand away. “Now stop that.”

“Why?”

“You’re playing with fire.”

She put her other hand up and lit a small flame in her palm. “No, this is playing with the fire.”

“Stop that!”

Closing her palm, she extinguished the flame. “Fine. Spoilsport.”

“I just don’t want the bed to catch on fire with both of us in it.”

“Nothing would happen. I would stop it before it did.”

“Pardon me for not exactly having faith in your abilities.”

“I told you I was well trained.”

“Okay, you’re well trained. Just not in the apartment, you might accidentally destroy something.”

“Gah, you’re impossible.”

“You’re a guest in my apartment, you should be considerate of the rules I lay down.”

“Fine, fine.”

“…You need a new word.”

Silence descended over the room again, Korra picking at the hem of the blanket while Amon kept perfectly still. Awkward was the only way to describe the atmosphere.

Finally Korra decided that the awkward silence wouldn’t do. “Why did you kiss me?”

He groaned. “To shut you up.”

“And?”

“What do you mean, ‘and?’ It was nothing more than a ploy to get you to stop talking. It worked for a little while, didn’t it?”

“Well, yeah, but…”

“But what?”

“I’ve never been kissed like that, okay?”

“Oh?” he said, his pitch rising in curiosity. “What about that fire witch you were telling me about? He doesn’t kiss you like that?”

“No…”

“You’ve never been kissed by a man, that’s why.”

“Spirits, you’re probably old enough to be my dad.”

“Probably, but you like it.” Something clicked Amon’s brain at that point. Why all of this was so appealing. They were forbidden to each other. It wasn’t just the age gap, it was the fact that he was the hunter and she was the hunted. “I like it too,” he admitted softly.

“It’s that whole, totally-off-limits vibe, isn’t it?” she asked.

“Has to be it. Lust, nothing more.”

“Right. For an old dude, you’re good looking and all, but totally not my type.”

“And you’re just a child. There’s no way a kid like you could keep up with me.”

They turned to face each other, and in that moment they were doomed. They met half way in a frantic kiss, completely ignoring Korra’s injuries. It wasn’t until his hand landed on her cracked ribs and she let out a yelp of pain that Amon realized that there was no logical way for this to work.

“How bad is it?” he asked.

“Bad enough,” she answered through gritted teeth.

“This isn’t going to work, is it?”

“Nope.”

Running his hand down his face, he wracked his brain for a solution. Some way to satisfy the need they both felt without further aggravating Korra’s injuries. It would take more finesse that he was used to using, but he figured he could do it.

“I can do this.”

“Oh really? Without injuring me further?” She sounded skeptical and he really didn’t blame her.

“I can. There are other ways to bring about pleasure without resorting to intercourse.”

“Yeah? Most people just call that foreplay.”

“Does it matter so long as you climax?”

Korra seriously considered his question. She wasn’t big into the whole self-pleasuring business, but mostly because she shared an apartment with two guys who no doubt would never let her live it down if they found out. Sleeping with the fire user had its perks, the primary one being that he was one of said roommates, but most of their trysts were held on the sly so his brother, an earth user, wouldn’t find out. The situation was complicated, but in comparison to her current situation, it looked like paradise. But that didn’t change the fact that there was something distinctly appealing about Amon and what he was promising.

“Okay, do what you can,” she challenged him.

He smirked. So, she took the bait then. This could work to his advantage. “Roll on to your back,” he ordered and for once she complied without resorting to sarcasm. She lay there totally prone, covered in nothing but her undergarments and one of his old shirts, her eyes half lidded with desire. Lying on his side, he leaned over her to kiss her, softly caressing her face and rubbing her cheek with his thumb. She responded by reaching up and threading her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer.

They lost themselves in the kiss, Amon being careful not to cause any additional pain to Korra’s split lip. He could smell the scent of her shampoo over the smell of the salve that was smeared on her neck, soft and floral, something that didn’t immediately seem to suit her. Very gently he trailed his hand down her body, pausing on her breasts to kneed and caress them through the flimsy fabric of the shirt. She let out a soft mewling noise, causing him to smirk through the kiss. This was going well.

Finally he moved his hand away from her chest, drifting down her torso until he reached the hem of the shirt. Sliding his hand under the fabric, he splayed his it against the warm skin of her belly. She giggled softly, the rough pads of his fingers leaving tingly trails in their wake.

“You like that?” he murmured between kisses.

“Yes,” she hissed.

“Perhaps I should try something else then,” he said, slipping his hand lower until his fingers were resting at the waistband of her underwear. “Should I keep exploring?”

“Mmm,” she hummed.

“Is that a yes?”

“That’s a yes, get on with it or so help me I will end you,” she answered with a frustrated groan.

“Very well,” he chuckled before kissing her soundly once more. With agonizing slowness his hand dipped -under the fabric of her underwear, into the thatch of coarse curls between her legs. He lingered there to tease her, to make her beg, and when she groaned into his mouth he started moving lower once more until his middle finger grazed the nub of nerves above her entrance.

“Oh Spirits!” she gasped as she pulled away from him.

“What an interesting reaction,” he noted smugly. “Perhaps I should do it again and see if I can replicate the result?” Again he brushed his finger over the nub, causing her to hiss and squirm. “Yes, it looks like the results can be easily replicated.”

“I am not a science project!” she growled.

“So says you,” he teased.

“Just whatever you’re going to do, do it already!” she demanded.

“Are you always so pushy?” he asked flatly.

“I’ve been told it’s a bad habit of mine. And I wasn’t kidding earlier when I said that you needed to get on with it or else I’d end you!” she snarled.

Her sudden burst of temper did nothing to intimidate him. “I suppose, if you were to ask nicely, I might continue.”

“Continue.”

“Say the magic word.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?!”

“Such language!”

“Augh!” she screamed. “Fine! Will you please continue?”

“That’s more like it,” he smirked as he rubbed circles over the swollen flesh, delighting in the soft whimpering sounds she was making. Sliding his hand down further, he used his finger to glide along her entrance, the skin wet and hot and ready. “My, my, someone is a little eager.”

“Whatever,” she ground out. “What does it matter?”

“It doesn’t. Just an observation,” he said as continued his ministrations. In the low light of his bedroom he watched her face contort, the way she screwed her eyes shut and bit her cheek to keep from crying out. “You’ll never climax if you don’t let go.”

“Shut…up…” she huffed.

“I don’t think so,” he answered flippantly as he thrust one digit inside of her. She gasped in shock, eyes flying open to stare at him. “Give yourself to me, Korra.”

“I…I…” she panted, “I’m trying!”

“Oh?”

“I…I just…” She let out a sharp gasp followed by a small cry. “Ouch…”

He slowed his movements. “Slow breaths, Korra.”

“I know, but that’s not exactly easy to do when you’re doing whatever it is that you’re doing,” she retorted.

“Maybe this was a bad idea,” he said as he stopped.

“No, it wasn’t,” she said softly. “The timing just sucks, that’s all.”

“You make it sound like we’ll have another chance.”

She looked thoughtful for a moment. “Well, why can’t we?”

“You seriously did not just ask that,” he said incredulously.

“I know this is going to sound strange, but…there’s something about you that makes me feel safe.”

“I find that surprising, seeing as you’ve been reminding me all night that I tried to kill you earlier.”

“But you didn’t, did you? You’ve had multiple opportunities to…finish the job as it were…since you got me here, but you’ve cared for me instead. You’ve patched up my wounds, treated me like I was something precious rather than something to be despised.”

“Maybe…maybe you’re not so bad, now that I know a little bit more about you.”

“You know next to nothing about me. Also, your hand is still, um, down my panties.”

“Wasn’t aware that was a problem.”

“Can we just admit that it’s not going to happen tonight?”

“All right,” he conceded, pulling his hand from her underwear. He got up to go wash his hands before returning, finding Korra staring blankly at the ceiling. “So, you want to get to know me better, is that what you’re saying, or rather _not_ saying?” he said as he climbed back into bed.

“Well, don’t you want to get to know me better?”

“My curiosity has been piqued, yes.”

“Then we should get to know each other better.”

“I’m sorry, did you just suggest that we start dating?”

“It’s weird, isn’t it?”

“Just a little,” he answered tactfully.

“Oh. Right.” She fell silent and started to fidget with the blanket again.

“Korra…?”

“Hmm?”

“Why me?”

“Uh, well, yeah, you’re kind of grumpy and sarcastic, but, uh, I don’t know. Something feels right when I’m with you. When you’re not trying to kill me, anyway.”

He hummed softly in response as he tried to come up with an appropriate reply. Finally he sighed. “You’re different. You had plenty of opportunities to hurt me during our fight, but you deliberately held back. Why did you not want to injure me? Wouldn’t it have been easier for you to use your powers to incapacitate me with an injury, giving you plenty of time to get away?”

“And prove every preconception that you have about witches correct?” she scoffed. “Others fight because they don’t want to die. Honestly, I didn’t want to die, but I knew that if it came to it, I would face death with dignity.”

“You were counting on me to spare you.”

“Not really. I was counting on wearing you out, but you saw how well that worked.”

“You say that most witches are like you.”

“Yes, unless you back them into a corner and then they’ll fight for their lives, just like anyone else.”

“I see.”

“Do you?”

“Maybe not completely, but I think I’m starting to understand.”

“It’s a start, I suppose.”

A more comfortable silence fell over the room, only broken by the sounds of their breathing. Anything that they wanted to say could wait, it was late and both were finally starting to feel tired. The last thing Korra was aware of as she drifted off to sleep was Amon loosely curling himself around her.

She woke several hours later to find that she was alone. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she tried to ignore the sharp sting of betrayal. No doubt that he had bolted from the apartment as soon as he had woken up and was waiting for her to leave. Wiping a few stray tears from her eyes, Korra got out of bed and limped to the kitchen in search of food.

She hadn’t expected to find him standing at the stove, cooking. He gave her a half smile when he saw her. “Good morning.”

“Um, morning,” she said as she tugged at the shirt hem in a nervous attempt to cover her bare legs.

“I was wondering if I was going to have to wake you up.”

“Sorry, I’m kind of a night person. I sleep late.”

“Don’t apologize. I woke early and went grocery shopping, also I’ve called in sick, so it’ll be just you and me until you’re able to walk again,” he explained as he motioned for her to sit at the small table that was pushed up against the wall. She settled herself and propped her sprained ankle on the chair across from it. “You don’t have anyone you need to call?”

“Um, I should call my roommates and let them know that I’m visiting a friend and they don’t need to worry,” she said. He handed her the phone and she made the call, cheerfully telling the boys that she had run into a friend the night before and they were going to spend a couple of days catching up and she’d be home in a few days.

When she hung up, Amon slid a plate with an omelet in front of her. “I’m not the best cook around, but I can hold my own. Eat up.”

“Oh, um, thanks.” She smiled up at him. “I haven’t had anyone cook for me since I moved away from home. I probably shouldn’t be let anywhere near a kitchen, but since I’m only cooking for myself, I guess it’s not that bad.”

He laughed as he fixed up his plate and then moved to join her, staring her down until she put her injured foot down on the floor. Sitting, he started to eat, sometimes asking her simple questions like where she was from, sometimes answering questions from her. When they finished he sent her off to take a bath while he cleaned up the kitchen. There was another purpose to sending her off, though.

Breakfast had actually been quite pleasant. It had been nice to sit down and enjoy a meal with someone else, to laugh and joke and talk. He hadn’t realized how lonely he felt until he woke up to the sound of Korra’s soft and even breathing, causing his heart to clench. He had wondered what it would be like to wake up next to her every single day.

He had originally wanted nothing to do with a wife. He saw marriage as an unnecessary distraction, something that would keep him from his goal of eliminating witches. It was easier to give his everything in a fight when he wasn’t worrying about making it home to a wife and kids in one piece. With a sigh, he realized he had a decision to make.

_Six Months Later_

Sliding her key into the lock, Korra turned it, then the door handle, and nudged the door open with her foot so she could enter the apartment. Juggling the grocery bags, closed and locked the door behind her and shuffled to the kitchen. For only a moment she thought about starting dinner, but she felt it was better to leave that to someone more qualified.

Just as she put the last can away in the cupboard, the front door of the apartment opened before slamming shut again. Poking her head out, she smiled when she saw Amon drop the keys to his satomobile and his mask on the table next to the door. “Hi!”

Looking up, he grinned when he saw her. “You got here earlier than I expected.”

“Eh, I practically live here now,” she shrugged as she walked up to him and wrapped herself around him.

Chuckling, he pried her off of him. “Did you get groceries?”

“I did. Just finished putting them away when you got home,” she answered brightly. “So, what’s this big news you had to tell me all about?”

After she spent nearly a week living with him because her ankle wouldn’t let her go home, they had bonded over cheesy movies on TV and junk food, argued everything from sports to politics, and then spent the rest of the time kissing each other senseless. By the time she could move around without limping, she was rather reluctant to leave. As a result she started coming by when she had free time, the first few times actually picking the lock to break into his apartment before he finally gave her the spare key.

“I put in my retirement request to the League today.”

“You what?” she nearly screeched in her disbelief.

“By the standards of the League, I’m, and this was my superior’s phrasing not mine, ‘an old geezer’ who was about to become a desk jockey,” he shrugged. “It was time to get out.”

“So now what?” She knew he had a day job, one he went to at the same time every morning only to come home in the evenings to have dinner and then go out as a hunter, but forty seemed a little young to retire from a normal job.

“Well, now I go back to just being Noatak, research librarian.”

Korra goggled him. “I’m sorry, how did I not know that one, Amon was a code name and two, that your every day job is working as a research librarian.”

“You never bothered to ask,” he said as he pulled her against him in a hug. “But I don’t know, I’m kind of tired of being alone, too.”

“Oh?” she asked as she squirmed away from him. “And how exactly were you planning to remedy that situation? Go get yourself a cat?”

“Well, I was thinking about moving out of this apartment. Get a house with a nice sized yard, you know, perfect for kids and a dog,” he said.

“What are you getting at?”

“Well, clearly I can’t have kids by myself.”

“That’s a big, fat duh.”

“Maybe it’s time for me to settle down.”

“Like…get married?” He raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.  “Oh spirits, are you asking me to marry you?”

“Only if you’re saying yes.”

Korra launched herself at him. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, a million times yes!” she squealed.

Holding her tightly, he spun her around the living room. “I hope you realize that this makes both of us completely insane, right?”

“So long as we’re completely insane together, I don’t care,” she laughed.

With a grin, he realized that she was right. Unlikely as it seemed, he couldn’t imagine his life without her now. He needed her now, and he had a sneaking suspicion that she needed him, too.  They had each other, and nothing else mattered.


End file.
